| |
| Wolfsbane Potion | |
|---|---|
| Potion information | |
| Effect |
Eases the symptoms of lycanthropy; prevents werewolves from losing their minds post-transformation. |
| Characteristics |
|
| Difficulty level |
Advanced |
| Known ingredients | |
| Inventor(s) | |
- "There is no known cure, although recent developments in potion-making have to a great extent alleviated the worst symptoms."
- —Newton Scamander[src]
The Wolfsbane Potion is an innovative and complex potion that relieves, but does not cure, the symptoms of lycanthropy. The main ingredient is wolfsbane (also referred to as aconite or monkshood). As such, this Potion is very dangerous when incorrectly concocted, since Aconite is a very poisonous substance. The way one must imbibe it is very unique among potions, in that a gobletful of wolfsbane potion must be taken for each day of a week preceding the full moon. It is extremely difficult to make, as even Slughorn claimed that Damocles couldn't have invented it without immense effort on his part.
Contents |
Nature
Edit
The completed potion exudes a faint blue smoke. According to Remus Lupin, it has a "disgusting" taste, and adding sugar to remedy this is not possible as that substance will render it ineffective.[1]
EffectsEdit
The potion does not cure lycanthropy but eases the symptoms, allowing one to hold on to their mental faculties after transformation (which would otherwise not be possible). However, it can have disastrous side-effects if the recipe is tampered with, as Lupin told Harry in 1996. It Is said that on the full-moon werewolves take this, they still transform, but at least in Remus Lupin's case they still act human. They usually stay somewhere safe and sleep through the transformation.
HistoryEdit
Wolfsbane Potion was invented by Damocles in the recent past, sometime after the mid-1970s.[2] Severus Snape brewed this potion for Remus Lupin during Lupin's year as Defence Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.[3]
AppearancesEdit
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film) (Mentioned only) (Unidentified)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) (Mentioned only)
Notes and referencesEdit
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Chapter 8 (Flight of the Fat Lady)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Chapter 18 (Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs), page 258 "The Potion that Professor Snape has been making is a very recent discovery...Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully fledged monster once a month [when I went to Hogwarts]"
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Chapter 16 (A Very Frosty Christmas)